


Injustice: A Journey’s Beginning

by Carrots123



Series: Injustice: The Path to Hell [1]
Category: Batman (Comics), Naruto
Genre: Betrayal, Deaths, Gotham City - Freeform, Heroes, Manipulation, Vigilantism, Villains, Weak-to-strong, no powers, slow-burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-15
Updated: 2020-11-15
Packaged: 2021-03-10 07:40:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 18,904
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27579958
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Carrots123/pseuds/Carrots123
Summary: His life was never simple, always struggling to survive from one day to the next. In a city such as Gotham, he was lucky to not have been corrupted by the darkness that surrounded him every day. However, a simple push was all it took for his entire life to change. For the world around him to become more complicated than ever before. Book 1 in the Injustice: The Path to Hell series.
Series: Injustice: The Path to Hell [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2015983
Kudos: 1





	1. Desperation

Friday 2nd, January, 22:30.

New Jersey,

Gotham City,

East End.

Gotham City, a city that many believed was beyond the borders a utopia and beyond the hope of ever becoming one itself. A clear reminder of the indescribable gap between their American dream and what reality was really like.

Gotham City stood as the definition of crime and corruption with danger around every corner. The city just waiting to make an orphan out of its future generation. However, there was a utopia that stood as a clear contrast, called Metropolis or the City of Tomorrow. And unlike them, their justice was not blind, but was instead as strong as steel.

He who was held as a symbol of hope.

The police took bribes from the various crime families and so the city stayed as a safe haven for those wanting to live a life of crime, and a living hell on earth to the good people of Gotham. That changed however, arriving soundlessly in the dark of night came a new form of justice seeking to punish all those who would poison his beloved city.

A man, a myth, a legend. Appearing as if he were a bat the prowled the streets of Gotham seeking his next victim. Victims that extorted the innocent and committed crimes not because they needed to, but because they wanted to.

In the span of a few months since his emergence, the crime bosses that once ruled Gotham had their influence vastly reduced as the people of Gotham were finally given a symbol of hope to believe in. Everyone called him a lie, a false messiah, some a hero, others a vigilante. They all believed that he could not save them, could not bring them true salvation from the corruption of their city.

But there was no denying that Batman was Gotham's silent protector, maybe even the hero they had all longed for.

Yet the bitter reality still stood despite his best efforts, Gotham stills stood as the symbol of crime and corruption, still the dystopia it had being for so long. It was an aspect of the city that had been so deeply ingrained into the very fabric of its being that the question was raised, if there was no crime, would it still be Gotham?

The cities criminal element having seemingly licked their wounds has grown smarter and more dangerous the longer and harder Batman fought against them. But again, the question was raised. What good was fighting the symptoms, when the host was still infected.

It could be said that for that reason alone, most rarely ventured forth into the most unsavoury underbelly of the decayed City. Said to be all but certain death after the night sets in, hiding their sin from view. But could that really be true or had they, in their conformity created their own demons? After all, why struggle for an unknown outcome that may never come when you could live a relatively safe yet monotonous life? The crime around you growing while you kept your head down and continued on, pretending it didn't exist.

That may be the case for most however, Barbara Gordon, niece and foster daughter to the current Commissioner James Gordon, was not one of those people. Walking down the street with grace like a gazelle, nimble yet hiding a surprising amount of strength. She was a beautiful young woman with bright red hair, enchanting green eyes and figure that while still developing, drew the gaze of many men. Each of them making any sound possible to gain her attention.

Still, Barbara ignored the unwanted gestures. Long ago she had found the comments, whistling, leers, car horns and vulgar gestures that came her way uncomfortable and worrying. Now she viewed them as far beneath her, unwilling to even dignify the actions with her acknowledgment. Many viewed it as simple arrogance on her part and many would agree, she was beautiful, but there was only one person's attention she wanted upon her.

She did however speed up a little at the sight of a familiar apartment building, paying no mind to the men that were still, fruitlessly trying to gain her attention. Nothing could keep her from coming, not the long commute, the grimy rundown building, nor all the numerous men and women doing drugs and various over chemical substances. Each of them trying to reach high that would make them forget the cruel reality of the world they live in. She moved past them all on the way up, never discouraged with a faint smile on her lovely lips that seemed to grow the higher she got. Coming to a stop in front of the room 666, the irony of it sadly lost on her.

Pulling out a small key, she unlocked the door and entered the apartment making sure to place her bag on the kitchen countertop and took a moment to look around. It was bare and if it wasn't for the dirty dishes in the sink. Ramen she would guess however faint it might be, the smell still clung to the room. She could even see a few 'adult' magazines - some featuring cosplays of certain heroines and villainess's - as well as a number of young childish comics about ninjas. Really, you wouldn't even believe someone was here, it looked abandoned, if not for the recent mess.

Her eyes did stall slightly as they looked at the few pictures on the walls, they were wonky and looked to be on the verge of falling off. Most were of her and her childhood friend, Naruto and even a few of her uncle and foster father, James as they grew up however, there were two that caught her attention the most.

They were the smallest of the pictures, but they were by far the most important to her and to Naruto. Her parents had died when she was young, only five and while she didn't remember them very well, she did miss them. Over the course of the years she had lived in Gotham, James had gone from being her uncle to becoming her father, but part of her had always wanted to know what it was like to have a mother.

But she did.

Naruto had been her childhood friend and his parents Minato and Kushina had always treated her kindly. While he might have seemed a bit wimpy and girly at first glance, Minato was like the kind and fun uncle. Kushina on the other hand had not only been a doting mother to both her and Naruto, she had also been a cool older sister that she had looked up to. Both beautiful and strong with a penchant for pranks that Naruto had inherited.

Their deaths had been difficult to bear, for everyone. Even now she would think of them in fondness, the impact they left still ringing strong, be it good or bad.

Moving forwards, Barbara twisted the pictures, one of Minato and Kushina at their wedding, both smiling happily in a small chapel and the other of tired but smiling Kushina, Minato and a sleeping baby Naruto. It always brought a smile to her, he looked so adorable as a baby.

Turning to the wall beside it, she took a deep breath having noticed the bloody handprint on the wall near the bedroom door. Her chest tightening up the more she looked at it, even now she wasn't able to properly deal with him getting hurt, nor was she truly able to confront him over it.

Taking a deep breath, she pushed the door open and saw her childhood friend trying and failing to patch up the cut on his side.

Naruto was the same age as her, sixteen with shaggy blonde hair and the brightest shade of blue eyes she had ever seen. His face was slightly plump in the cheeks and while he was certainly in good shape, the clearly defined muscles serving as proof, there were still hints of baby fat here and there. Not that she thought it detracted from him as he was in far better shape than most guys their age.

Shaking her head before thoughts reached deeper hidden feelings, Barbara moved forward, convincing herself that she was unaffected by the handsome and half-naked teen in front of her. "It's honestly amazing that despite how many times you injure yourself, you're still hopeless when it comes to applying first aid." She said as she took the cloth filled with disinfectant and threw it into the bin, but not after shaking it in his face irritably. "Too much disinfectant, idiot."

"My bad." The blonde chuckled as they moved towards his unmade, single bed and sat down upon it as Barbara applied the correct amount of disinfectant and began dabbing his wounds. "Ow." He flinched away as he felt his wounds sting.

"Hush, you big baby." Barbara scolded him, a small frown of concentration on her face.

"It stings." The blonde protested. "You'd think that after the number of times I've injured myself, that I'd be used to it by now." Barbara said nothing as she meticulously applied a sterile plaster over the cut, but her frown deepened. She knew full well what he had been doing despite the various lies he told her about what he actually did.

When he was younger, he had been sent to juvenile prison a number of times for stealing. He had stopped thankfully, only for Barbara to soon learn that he had started doing something far more dangerous, street fighting.

They were dangerous simply because there were no rules except no guns. And while weapons were frowned upon, there were a number of times that knives were pulled out and Naruto had the scars to prove it. It seemed that when it all came down to it, nothing mattered so long as you won, though who truly won was another story. Only those who pulled the strings came out on top, they made sure to find value in fighters even when they could no longer fight.

What were a few missing organs when their families needed to eat? Falling deeper and deeper into the hole, with no way to get out. Of course, that was only known because of who she truly was. Her secrets only coming to light under the cover of darkness where no one could see.

Pulling away, she gave his upper body a once over for anymore injuries, running her hand down a particularly nasty scar over his chest as she did so, spending a few moments longer than necessary to feel him up. "It's getting so difficult to tell the old cuts and bruises from the new ones." Barbara whispered, concern evident in her voice. "Why do you do this to yourself, Naruto? You know my dad offered you a home, you can come live with us."

Naruto simply smiled sadly and took her hand in his. "I can look after myself, besides I like it here." Barbara just stared at him, not convinced in the slightest by his words. And even if she was, she wouldn't want him to stay here alone, wanting him to be with her, however that ended up being.

"That'd be almost believable if it wasn't for the fact you've told me on numerous occasions that you hate it here and how you want to travel the world." She said, pulling away as the two moved into the main room, with Naruto going straight to the couch to watch TV while Barbara poured him a drink of water. "Here."

Naruto's hand shot up and caught the bottle of pills she threw at him before they hit his head. "What are these?" He asked while looking at the information printed on the side.

"You say you can look after yourself, but you're constantly working different jobs to try and pay rent, but for some reason always go to those street fights and come back looking like you've been put through a meat grinder." She moved forward and sat down beside him, giving him the glass of water. "They're painkillers. Things I've been telling you to buy, but you never do. So, go on, take them."

"I'll do it." Naruto went to put the bottle down, but Barbara stopped him before he could. She made sure that with one hand she held the glass of water steady out towards him, while the other pushed his hand holding the bottle back towards him.

"I want to see you take the prescribed amount and you will take them." Naruto's eyes narrowed and Barbara's did the same.

"Tch." Clicking his teeth in annoyance, Naruto opened the bottle and downed two pills, making sure to take a large gulp of water to assist in swallowing the pills. "Happy?"

Barbara smirked and rested her head on the back of the sofa. "Very." The two sat in a comfortable silence as they listened to the sound of the TV playing. Neither said anything as Barbara looked up at the ceiling, her thoughts unknown to him, while Naruto found himself staring at Barbara. Yet again unable to keep his eyes off her.

She had always been his first friend. Ever since they were kids, they had been the best of friends. Even after his parents died and had been moved to an orphanage, – one he kept on running from, including every foster home he was taken too – before eventually going out and living on his own, she had always been his best and only friend. The one constant in his life, the one person if he was being honest, he couldn't do without.

True, they were an odd pair if he thought about it, yet she completed him unlike anyone currently on this planet. Those words rang truer than he could possibly know.

Barbara, even when they were young, had always been kind and innocent. Always seeing the good in people and willing to befriend everyone. He had been much the same way until his parents died and after that, he locked himself away; but never from Barbara. She could be just as stubborn as him and she wasn't willing to leave him alone, even when he acted like an asshole to her for a little while. But Barbara stuck by him, able to see that Naruto was in pain and alone.

Even now, in Gotham Academy – a school he only just managed to get into because of a sports scholarship – Barbara was one of the most beautiful and popular girls around. Guys and girls lined up to be her friend and in the formers case, more than friends. Yet somehow, Barbara still wanted to be his friend, an orphan from Gotham's slums and Gotham Academy's very own delinquent.

Still, it didn't change the fact that she wasn't wrong, he was struggling. Money wasn't exactly easy to come by, especially around these parts, not without resorting to crime. Outside of the slums, it was even harder to find jobs because of the slums notoriously high crime rate, even with Batman interfering.

Every week he would be fired on some half-assed excuse by his bosses and he would have to find a new job to ensure he could pay rent, school tuition and make sure that he had food. Not to mention trying to pay off his parent's debt, which only seemed to be growing as he was constantly behind on payment.

And every single time he resorted to Gotham's Underground Fighting ring. A barely legal institution that had on many occasions been shut down by Batman, but would constantly appear a few months down the line due to Batman's attention being drawn to the chaos caused by Gotham's many supervillains.

He had been awful at it, usually going in to fight men twice his age with biceps the size of his head and each and every time he would be beaten within an inch of his life. But with every fight, he got better and better. He could react almost instantly to people's wild and untrained attacks and respond with brutal punches to carefully targeted weak points.

Was he a master fighter? Hardly. He simply knew how to use the basics with great efficiency. Most of his opponents fell into one of two categories, they were either all muscle and no skill, believing that just because they were buff that they could beat everyone. Or guys who had taken maybe one or two lessons and suddenly thought they were Bruce Lee.

To call him a master would be like saying, he hasn't thought of Barbara in a Batgirl costume re-enacting some of his more male driven fantasies.

Without meaning too, Naruto snorted in amusement at that thought. Yep, he definitely wasn't a master, but he sure as hell wouldn't go down without putting up a fight.

"What?" Barbara asked, her head turning to look at him and Naruto simply raised a brow in questioning. "You've been looking at me this entire time and you just snorted. Cute sound by the way."

"Welllll…" Naruto scratched his cheek, which was stained slightly red with a blush. "You're kind of distracting." Barbara sat up and stared at him, this time it was her that had one brow raised in questioning, though he was thankful to note that there was a small dusting of pink on her cheeks. "I-I mean, that well…you're distracting, in, in a g-good way…" He trailed off with an embarrassed chuckle, while scratching that back of his head in embarrassment, an act that made Barbara smile at the familiar and adorable nervous tick.

"Distracting in a good way?" Barbara questioned with her smile widening as the blush on her cheeks darkened. Thankfully, she had turned away so he couldn't see or she'd be even more embarrassed.

"Yup." Naruto said as he leaned back on the sofa, turning to look out the window. It was then he noticed the time on the wall. "Eleven o'clock. Is your dad picking you up?"

Barbara shook her head. "No, I'm staying over at a friend's house tonight. We and a few others have been talking about having a sleepover for a while now and her mum will be here in a few minutes."

"Oh." Naruto hid the disappointment he felt at her leaving so soon after her arrival. "Have fun I guess." Barbara smiled, likewise hiding the sadness she felt, hating having to lie to him about what she was really doing. But she couldn't tell him that she was going out and fighting crime as Batgirl, he'd act like Jim if he found out and freak out. Naruto had always been protective of her, trying to hide her from the harsh truth of the world and on numerous occasions had gotten into fights both in and out of school due to guys not understanding the meaning of 'no.'

It was equal parts flattering and frustrating because at times she felt like Naruto didn't trust her to protect herself. Yet at the same time she understood why he did it, as far as he was aware, she couldn't protect herself. He didn't know that she had any form of defence training besides that one time he taught her to punch when they were twelve and she hadn't exactly told him otherwise.

"Yea, I will do." She responded, getting a more genuine smile from him, though it was still strained. "Try not to kill yourself this weekend."

"I'll try." He chuckled and Barbara took his hand in hers and gave it a comforting squeeze before getting up and leaving.

-X- Line Break -X-

Monday 12th, January, 07:58

New Jersey,

Gotham City,

Gotham Academy.

Naruto walked calmly through the corridors of the prestigious academy of Gotham. A school that until recently, only catered to the richest and wealthiest families of Gotham City. That had changed when Bruce Wayne had begun supplying a sizable, annual fee to the academy under the condition they offer scholarships and reduce the tuition fee to those from poorer families.

It was a generous offer from the otherwise billionaire playboy, but one thing he had forgotten to take into account was the number of assholes that usually took up the vast majority of children that entered Gotham Academy. Or at least that's what it appears as.

Naruto himself, ignored the occasional jeer and insult that came his way from a bunch of jocks. That's all they did, insult him from afar. They had learned the lesson that you never start a fight or even invade Naruto's personal space and insult him at the same time. If you did, we'll let's just say you were more than likely to end up headfirst in a nearby wall.

Fights between Naruto and the jocks had been a common occurrence in his first year at the Academy. His very presence in the Academy and position as the only guy that Barbara Gordon had shown an ounce of interest in was a threat to their ego. It had gotten so bad that the teachers had threatened to expel Naruto and anyone who got involved in fights in school grounds, but all that did was mean that the fights usually took place outside of them.

However, that all changed when one particular jock had come to the school late having gotten drunk with his recently graduated friends and pulled a knife out on Naruto. That particular fight had ended with the boy going to the hospital with numerous broken bones, fractures and dislocations. The teachers had to practically pry Naruto off the unconscious student.

It was safe to say that Naruto had sent the students of Gotham Academy a message that had destroyed any and all attempts of him trying to make friends. Not that he was interested in the first place, the struggle he had with affording everything meant he had barely any spare time. Though Barbara always found a way to make sure that they spent time together.

Entering the classroom, Naruto sat down at the desk and allowed his head to drop onto his crossed arms, intent on catching up on the sleep he had missed out on last night. That was his plan, but it was never to be as a hand slammed down onto his desk jolting him into an upright position.

"Barbara?" He questioned following the hand up to the face of his childhood friend. "What the hell?!"

"Class starts in a minute; be thankful I woke you up before the teacher does." She said haughtily, though both of them knew she was simply doing this as an act. "Besides, I needed to ask if you've done the work that was in for today, the work I specifically reminded you to do all week."

"Oh, shit." Naruto's head collapsed onto the desk. "Fuck. I forgot." He looked up and saw Barbara staring down at him, one hand on her hip that was cocked to the side, her face set into one of disappointment.

"Why do you do this to yourself, Naruto?" She asked. "I mean, we both know you're not the smartest guy, but you sure as hell can be determined and willing to learn. If you put half of the determination you have into beating up guys in a ring, then you sure as hell can be one of the top students in class. But you don't."

Naruto just sighed, rubbing his temples in an attempt to quell the impending headache he knew would come when the teacher came in. "Look, I've just been really busy, haven't had time to do the work."

Barbara shook her head and took a seat at her desk next to Naruto's. "He's gonna tear you a new asshole." She snarked and Naruto shot her a dirty look, which she returned by maturely sticking out her tongue.

"Yea, well he can shove it for all I care." Naruto scoffed, while crossing his arms. "He's a stuck-up prick, maybe if he actually wasn't such an asshole, I might actually be willing to learn some of the shit he teaches us." This earned a short laugh from Barbara.

He turned to look at her and raised one eyebrow in questioning. "Please, we both know that you hate school and the only reason you come is because I force you." She responded. "It wouldn't matter if he was a stuck-up prick or not, if I didn't make you come to school, you wouldn't bother learning at all."

Naruto simply smirked at her. "Maybe, who knows." It was Barbara who raised one brow at him this time, obviously not convinced.

However, before she could say anything the door opened and in stepps the teacher. Something which made Naruto give her a smirk at getting the last word before she turned to listen as the teacher did a roll call. Naruto on the other hand, went back to resting his head on the desk intent on catching up on some sleep.

-X- Line Break -X-

Monday 12th, January, 15:00.

New Jersey

Gotham City

Gotham Heights

It was a surprisingly nice day for January, which resulted in large crowds of people bustling down the streets to get to their intended destinations. For the most part, everything was normal, a large change for the people of Gotham. No crime, no supervillain wreaking havoc upon the city. For all intents and purposes, it was calm.

Currently, Naruto and Barbara were walking through the crowds in their school uniforms and coats to keep warm, making their way towards Barbara's home. A usual routine for the two as Naruto would stop by the Gordon household whenever he could. Thankfully, today Naruto had no shifts allowing him to spend time with Barbara, something they were both pleased with.

Laughing, Barbara clutched Naruto's left hand tightly in both of hers as he dragged her through the particularly large crowd of people. "Naruto! Slow down a bit!" He just shot her a cheeky grin over his shoulder and tugged her out of the crowd into a small backstreet that acted as a shortcut to Barbara's home.

"What's wrong, Barbie? Can't keep up?" He taunted and Barbara smacked him on the arm, getting him to mockingly rub his arm as if soothing the pain.

"Don't call me that, asshole." Despite this, neither could wipe the grin off their faces, never once letting go of each other's hand as they came out onto another street. It was still busy, but nowhere near as busy as Gotham Heights main street. "Still can't believe you got detention on your first day back after the Christmas Holidays."

"Yea, me either." He scratched the back of his head in embarrassment. "Wasn't even trying to get detention, but that guy was being a dick." Barbara shook her head and stepped a little closer to Naruto.

"Yea, well try not to get into trouble anymore." Naruto just gave her his signature grin. "I'm being serious, Naruto."

"Yea, yea." He waved off her concerns. "I'll try my best, mother. No promises though."

"Whatever, not like I care." Barbara replied, sticking her nose in the air. Seeing this, Naruto jabbed her in the side with his free hand making her jump away with a yell of shock, only to slip and fall to the ground.

Naruto burst out laughing as Barbara stared at him in shock before her eyes narrowed, slowly and menacingly raising to the ground. Though her messed hair, red cheeks and the smile that twitching of her mouth as she tried to quell her own smile greatly diminished the look.

"Naruto!" Continuing to laugh, Naruto raised his hands up in mock surrender as the occasional person walking by either smiled or rolled their eyes at the two students. "Stop laughing! This isn't funny, you jerk!" She smacked him hard in the arm, but this only had the opposite effect as they finally continued their walk back to Barbara's home, with the young girl finally joining him in laughing.

Finally calming down, Naruto wiped a tear from his eye and looked to see his friend smiling while looking ahead. "I'm sorry, how are you feeling?" He finally apologised, reaching over to wrap one arm over her shoulders. At an impressive height of 5"9, Naruto was over five inches taller than Barbara's own 5"4 and so her head quite easily and comfortably tucked into his chest.

"I'm fine, a little sore from where I landed, but nothing life threatening." Naruto nodded his head, as Barbara felt her cheeks darken at the fact Naruto showed concern for her over the simplest of things. It was sweet and was just who Naruto was, he may not make friends easily, but those he did have he was very loyal too.

Slowly, she closed her eyes, trusting Naruto to make sure that she didn't walk into something as she leaned closer into him.

"Good, good. Wouldn't want that now, would we?" He asked rhetorically as they walked in a comfortable silence. That was, until Naruto tensed up as he noticed two well-dressed men leaning against a building, smoking and watching him and Barbara intently. He looked down and noticed that Barbara had looked up, having felt him tense up.

"What's wrong?" She asked worriedly, her eyes scanning the area. Instantly her senses honed as Batgirl picked up on the same two men Naruto had. They may not be looking in their direction, having noticed Naruto staring right at them, but they may as well have been wearing a neon sign saying, 'We're wannabe gangsters.'

"It's nothing." He gave a reassuring smile, but while Barbara outwardly pretended that she bought it, inwardly she knew that this had to do with the part of Naruto's life he kept secret even from her. "Can you, erm." He looked round and his eyes landed on a small coffee shop just a few buildings back the way they came. "Can you wait for me in that coffee shop, while I make sure that I'm not just being paranoid?"

Barbara frowned, wanting nothing more than to help Naruto, but at the same time, not willing to give him any clues about her life as Batgirl or at least she told herself. "It's probably nothing, I can come with – "

"No!" He quickly interjected, his voice louder and more forceful than he had intended, if the look on his face was anything to go by. "No." He repeated much calmer and gentler, than before. "No, I'll go myself, it's like you said, probably nothing and I'd really like some coffee. So why don't you get us something to drink, while I just settle my nerves?"

"But…" She cut herself off this time as she watched Naruto's tense frame become even tenser, his eyes narrowing as his stubborn nature reared its head. Barbara felt her own stubborn nature also rise, but beat it down into submission and narrowed her eyes right back at him. "Fine."

Crossing her arms, Barbara turned on her heels and stopped at the entrance to the coffee shop, checking the board outside with a list of all the prices. Well, that's what it looked like, but actually she watched as Naruto stared at her for a few moments before continuing to walk the way they were heading and pulling into a back alley. The guys she had been watching, waited until Naruto passed them, putting out their cigarettes and following after her blonde friend.

Taking in a deep breath, Barbara fought internally with herself on whether she should go and help her childhood friend before deciding to trust him. If it came to a fight, she knew he would be alright, he had taken out bigger and badder guys than those two thugs.

-X- Line Break -X-

Monday 12th, January, 15:15.

New Jersey

Gotham City

Gotham Heights

Naruto came to a stop in a small alleyway, his eyes locked onto the three walls surrounding him, the onto way out being the way he had just come. Turning around, he faced the two thugs that rounded into the alleyway at the same time, their frames filling the only exit in a poor attempt at intimidation.

"Nowhere to go now, kid." The tall lanky one on the right said, his hands shoved into his pockets. Naruto scoffed and folded his hands across his chest and allowed the two thugs to try and poorly invade his personal space. But it was obvious that as they got closer, they realised that he wasn't just some skinny kid.

At the height of 5"9 and a build of a professional American Football player, Naruto cut a far more intimidating figure than a tall lanky man and his fat partner. And the blonde used this to his advantage by stepping up into their own personal space and officially showing them how to really intimidate someone.

It worked as the two men grit their teeth, as they took a step back. "If you're gonna try and intimidate someone, make sure that you actually know what you're doing next time." Naruto snarked, a smug smirk on his face that disappeared into a blank mask as the fat thug pulled out a gun and pointed it right at Naruto's face.

"You think you intimidate us, you little shit!" He shouted out, spit coming out of his mouth.

"Calm down, T-Dog." The lanky and obviously smarter man of the pair said sternly.

"T-Dog?" Naruto questioned with a chuckle, wiping the spit that had landed on his face. "That's a real black name for a white guy." This only made 'T-Dog' snarl even more, his gun slowly lowering to point at the ground. "So, what's you want?"

"You know exactly why we're here." T-Dog snarled and Naruto simply smirked at him before turning to face the more reasonable of the two.

"You're late on your payment." He answered, ignoring his near rabid partner. "The boss wants payment in full by the end of the day." Naruto tensed up. "Or we'll look for other ways to get the money."

'Shit!' Naruto cursed internally. 'Fuck! I thought I had longer, he usually lets me have an extra week if I'm late. Why the fuck is he changing it up now?! I don't have the cash to pay him yet and there's no fights today, the next ones are tomorrow!' He never allowed any of his internal conflict to show on his face as his blue eyes bore into the lanky man's own brown eyes, who soon began to shift uncomfortably.

"Here that, you little shit!" T-Dog spat out. "Pay up by the end of the day or maybe we and a few boys might pay a visit to your little girlfriend and break her in a little. Pretty sure the boss would be glad to have babe like her as a prostitute on his payroll. What you think, maybe he'll be kind enough and just fuck her himself."

Naruto's eyes zeroed in on the fat man, his blood boiling as his heart pounded in his ears. 'This fat fucker dares!' His fists clenched at his side.

"It'd be unfortunate, but the boss did say we have to make the money up in other ways and there are plenty of guys out there who would love to get a piece of ass like that." The fat one continued, completely oblivious to Naruto's rising anger.

'I'll fucking kill him!' His fist shot out quicker than either of the two thugs could react and collided with T-Dog's face and there was a sickening crunching sound that signalled his nose had been broken. Even then, as the fat man fell backwards into the wall clutching his bleeding face and crying out in pain, Naruto's leg went with the momentum and crushed the man's head against the wall.

Now, this wasn't the movies where the man's head would split open like a grape. But his skull did cave in, pieces of bone piercing the man's brain killing him instantly as he slumped to the floor, a bloody stain left behind on the wall.

Meanwhile, the lanky man fumbled to get his gun out, but Naruto stepped into the man guard and landed five consecutive punches to his stomach, followed by a vicious uppercut that sent them to the ground unconscious. When all was said and done, Naruto stood their breathing heavily in an attempt to calm his anger.

It took everything he had not to kill the second guy, but he knew that if he killed both of them their boss would take this as an act of rebellion. That was not what Naruto wanted at all. Though that wasn't saying much, regardless of his reasoning he still killed one of the boss's boys. It could be said that one or two more wouldn't make a difference, he was already doomed, he just didn't know it yet. Looking back on this moment, Naruto would realise that this was the turning point.

Once he had sufficiently calmed down, he exited the street and noticed that no one had stopped to pay attention to what had gone on down in the alley. It was to be expected really, even with Batman, people still followed the old rules put in place by the crime bosses. Keep your nose out of their business and don't play the hero or you get killed.

"Naruto!" He looked to the left and saw Barbara walking towards him with two cups of coffee in her hand.

"Barbara!" He replies and moves towards her, taking his cup of coffee from her hands with a thank you.

"Are you okay?"

"Yea, I'm fine. Just me being patronised after all." He answered with a smile and a short laugh, Barbara smiled at him. "Shall we cross the street?"

"Okay." She nodded her head, though once Naruto turned away her smile grew small as she spared a glance to the alleyway Naruto had just come out of.

-X- Line Break -X-

Tuesday 13th, January, 22:16

New Jersey

Gotham City

Location Unknown

His breathing was heavy. His heart beat pounding in his ears. His blood pumping throughout his body as adrenaline filled every cell of his body. Sweat and blood fell from his body as he moved on pure instinct. This was who he was; this was what he lived for. The rush one gained as they fought against a strong opponent.

Naruto ducked underneath a wild hook and parried numerous jabs and crosses from his opponent with practised ease. His blonde hair displaced by the air produced by the force of each punch of his opponent, his blonde eyes alight with childlike excitement and a confident smirk on his face as he easily responded with a palm strike to his opponent's solar plexus.

Hopping backwards to put some space between him and his opponent, Naruto calmly bounced on his toes. Never once stopping to catch his breath as he allowed the adrenaline to keep him standing.

His opponent on the other hand – a large bulky man with some measure of skill and fighting experience from his boxing background – stumbled backs, almost dry heaving as a result of Naruto's devastating strike. While the fight had lasted no longer than ten minutes, it had mostly consisted of Naruto on the defensive, allowing his opponent to exhaust himself and occasionally responding with devastating counter attacks.

And it showed.

Naruto besides the sweat and blood – his opponents, not his own – was completely unharmed. His opponent on the other hand was equally sweaty with a busted lip, broken nose, swollen left eye and bruises forming around his stomach.

Despite, the man's experience and background in boxing, Naruto had taken numerous moves he had seen from videos on YouTube and the instincts he had honed from his many fights to create an entirely unique style. It was wild and unpredictable, with no set pattern making it very difficult to defend and counter against. That, plus Naruto's greater speed and stamina compared to his opponent's strength gave Naruto the ultimate fighting edge.

The fight had ended before it even began, just like every fight Naruto took part in. He had been fighting his entire life and knew his own limitations and constantly strove to surpass them. His opponent on the other hand was looking for some quick cash.

He had never come across an opponent that was like him. Someone who fought for a living and it almost made him desperate to test himself against the likes of Batman, Batgirl and Robin to see how he stacked and how far he had to go. But he wouldn't, it was stupid as neither of the three would spare the time to fight a fan and the only way to get them to fight him would be to commit a crime big enough to warrant their attention.

His opponent charged forward and Naruto would give him props for his self-control, it was obvious he was getting annoyed by the blonde's smirk and nonchalant defence, yet he never let his anger cloud his judgement.

"And Tony charges in once more!" The crowd cheered loudly, but Naruto paid them nor the commentator any mind. "What will our champion do against this never-ending onslaught by the newcomer?"

Naruto's smirk widened as he reached his opponent and this time, instead of repeating his defensive stance, he instead leaped into the air. Caught off guard by this sudden change in pattern by the blonde, his opponent only managed to raise a hasty guard that broke easily under the powerful roundhouse kick that slammed into it.

The force behind it not only broke the guard, but sent Tony to the floor. However, he masterfully rolled to his feet, mitigating the damage he took. This was for naught as Naruto was upon him in an instant with a fast and dangerous onslaught of punches and kicks. There were no fancy flips, just straight up powerful punches and kicks that tore down every defence Tony could put up and dealt ever increasing amounts of damage to the burly boxer's body before he eventually was sent careening to the ground unconscious.

"And there we have it!"The commentator screamed into his microphone. "While the newcomer put up a good fight, it was not enough to overcome our undefeated champion, Naruto!" He could hear the cheers of those who had no doubt bet on him to win and even see a few grumblings as they had no doubt bet against him. But Naruto cared very little, he was getting paid either way.

-X- Line Break -X-

Tuesday 13th, January, 22:45

New Jersey

Gotham City

Location Unknown

Rolling his shoulder, Naruto walked out of his changing rooms in a pair of jogging pants and a plain, white t-shirt, with a bag slung over his shoulder. His blonde hair was still wet and not as wild as it usually was, it was still drying from the shower he had just taken.

He passed a few of the female servers, scantily clad as part of tonight's additional entertainment. He ignored the way their eyes roamed over his figure as even though some of them were old enough to be his mother and he was only sixteen, it was nothing more than a number to them. He could argue back that jail was only a room, especially in Gotham. But Naruto liked to think that he was strong in the face of temptation.

Especially with women like Batgirl, Poison Ivy, Harley Quinn, Catwoman and the list went on.

"Naruto!" The young boy in question, looked up to see the owner/commentator for Gotham's Underground Fighting Arena. "How are you, my boy?" He was a sleazy looking man in his forty with his black hair already greying in places.

"I'm doing good, John." Naruto replied shortly, never really liking the man for the way he had a habit of picking young and helpless girls off the streets and forcing them into prostitution. The thought made him remember the threat the two thugs had made towards Barbara earlier and it made him clench his fists in anger.

Going even further he remembers that a lot of his money troubles were because of him. John may not be the reason for his debt, but he hadn't made it easier to resolve it easier. All because of the simple fact that John oils to let him place a bet on himself winning, his reason for doing so unknown to him. But Naruto doubted it was good, nor did he think he would like it either.

"Good, good." He pulled out an envelope and held it out for Naruto to take. "Five thousand, for your most impressive showing tonight." Just as Naruto went to take the envelope, John pulled it away. "You know, I would be willing to double, no triple this amount every time you fought, if you would work for me. It'd be far more profitable for both of us and far more stable."

Naruto stared at the man who was trying his best to convince him for what must be the hundredth time and poorly. "I'm honoured and thank you for the offer, but I'm gonna have to decline." While John frowned, he nonetheless handed him the envelope again and this time when Naruto went to take it, John didn't pull it away.

After a quick check of the envelope's contents, Naruto gave John a smile. "Pleasure doing business with ya', John." He said before walking out of the building.

"As long as you keep winning me money, kid!" John called back and Naruto raised his hand in a short wave, never looking over his shoulder.

The walk to his apartment was short and not many people were out. No doubt due to the Joker and Harley Quinn currently on the loose with Batman hot on their tail. Everyone was waiting for something to happen, even the criminals and gangs kept their heads bowed down when the Joker was on the loose. There was a reason he was called the Clown Prince of Crime because everyone, even the hardest and most terrifying criminals were scared of the unpredictable element that was the Joker.

Quickly making it to his apartment, Naruto pulled out his key and as he tried to slot it into the keyhole, only for the door to open on its own.

Looking up and down the corridor, Naruto turned back to the door and pushed it open. It was dark, no surprise the sun hardly ever got into his room. "Barb, you in there?" Naruto called out, cautiously stepping into his apartment. "Barbara if this is a joke it ain't funny." He put his bag down on where he knew his kitchen counter would be and clenched his fists. "Seriously Barbara, I swear to god if you're gonna jump out at me, I'm gonna pissed."

"I can assure you, I'm not your little girlfriend." A deep, masculine voice calmly responded.

Naruto reached out to his light switch and flicked it on, his eyes squinting at the sudden light, but it did not stop him from seeing the figure sitting in his chair like he owned the place. He was a tall man, with a slightly busy figure wearing a well-tailored suit designed to fit him snugly and make him look bigger. But the more surprising thing about him was that where his head should be, was a black skull.

"Black Mask." Naruto whispered, fear evident in his voice as he took a step back. Naruto feared very few things, but Black Mask was one such thing. Ever since his father died when he was seven, leaving just him and his mother, Black Mask would constantly come round. The things he said and what Naruto learned of Black Mask from Jim, had left a deep-rooted fear in the child Naruto and while it had lessened over time. Naruto couldn't deny that Black Mask would always be someone he was scared of.

"Hello Naruto." Black Mask said calmly, never once moving from his seated position. "Why don't we have a little chat like old times?" Before Naruto could do anything, he felt a bat collide with the backs of his knees sending him to the ground before something else hit his head.

For a second, he saw stars as he collapsed to the ground, his head spinning, barely registering the kicks that collided with his ribs. Meanwhile, Black Mask watched the beating unfold before his eyes with a calm indifference.

"That's enough boys, we don't want to kill him." Instantly the beating stopped as Naruto moaned pitifully on the ground, slowly rolling onto his side as he clutched his ribs in pain.

"Now." Getting out his chair, Black Mask walked towards Naruto and with his foot, rolled the blonde onto his back. "You've disobeyed me, Naruto. I'm usually quite lenient with you because I've known you ever since you were a little kid, but you've forgotten the fact that I own you."

Naruto groaned in pain as he felt his ribs protest under the pressure Black Mask foot applied to them.

"But you see, I'm getting quite annoyed with you constantly being late on your payment. At first you were always on time, but recently it's been a constant thing with you and I can't understand why?" Black Mask looked to his thugs. "Can you tell me why?"

"No, boss." One of them replied.

"See." Black Mask leaned down. "I own you Naruto and it's all because your parents incurred quite a lot of debt from me. Now I was quite happy to pay off the debt when your dear mummy was alive if she did me a few…favours." The drawl he used when saying 'favours' left no doubt in anyone's mind in what he meant. "But she didn't, she stayed loyal to her dead, useless of a husband's memory and as a result died, leaving you to pay off their debt."

"Now I like you, kid. You got some serious fucking balls on you." Black Mask chuckled. "Hard as fucking nails as well, I don't know many people who can take a beating like you just did and still stay conscious."

Naruto said nothing, just glaring into Black Mask's eyes, the hatred he felt for the crime lord even thinking about touching his mother far outweighing his fear.

"But my patience has run out." His foot lashed out and kicked Naruto in the face sending it wiping to the side, blood splattering across the ground. "You have not only been late on your payments for the last six months, but then you have the fucking balls to kill one of my men." Black Mask snarled out, his hand pulling out a Bowie knife. "Now, mind you they were out of line threatening our dear old Commissioners 'daughter' and I can understand that you felt the need to protect your girlfriend." His voice was almost gentle and understanding, Black Mask's thugs looked at one another in confusion in where their boss was going with this.

That changed when Black Mask drove the Bowie knife through one of Naruto's hands, pinning him to the ground. A scream of pain tore from Naruto's lips, tears piling at the corners of his eyes, but it did not stop him from lashing out at his attacker.

Black Mask stumbled back into two his thugs, who caught their boss as a result of a punch that collided against his face.

Rubbing his face, Black Mask chuckled as he watched his three other thugs kicking the downed Naruto, occasionally swinging their bats down onto him. "That's enough." He ordered sternly.

"I tell you what, kid. You've got one mean right hook." He chuckled once more. "But you won't do that again or I'll kill you." Naruto said nothing, just curling back into a ball to try and protect himself once more.

"You gotta earn my forgiveness, triple the monthly rate by next month." Black Mask did a show of doing internal math. "That's forty-five thousand the next exact month after you get out of hospital. You fail, my thugs come back here beat you up and then we rape your little girlfriend in front of you, Commissioners daughter or not. You don't fuck." He kicked Naruto in the stomach once more. "With Black Mask."

Stepping back, and readjusting his blazer, Black Mask looked down at Naruto. "Boys, teach him a lesson." Walking towards the kitchen counter, Black Mask opened Naruto's bag and pulled out the cash inside, handing it to one of the thugs who followed him. Then the two left the apartment, not even paying attention to the sounds of the beating going on behind them.

-X- Line Break -X-

Tuesday 13th January, 23:30.

New Jersey,

Gotham City,

Gotham City Hospital.

Commissioner James Gordon entered the hospital room with a weary heart. The wrinkles he had developed over his long and stressful life became all the more pronounced as he took in the state of the two occupants.

The first and worst was Naruto Uzumaki, the child of his friend Minato Namikaze and his wife Kushina Uzumaki. He had watched the boy grow up into the young man he was and had on numerous occasions tried to take custody of the boy, but for someone to always put a stop to it for reasons unknown to him.

'Minato, Kushina.' He thought sorrowfully of his two deceased friends as he watched their son cling to life in a hospital bed with the repetitive beeping of the heart monitor filling the room. 'If only I had thought harder for custody of your son, this could have been avoided, I could have done something.' Now usually, James was a man who was in great control of his emotions, he had to be due to his job and his unorthodox ally, Batman. But seeing a young man he viewed as a son in this state filled him with an all-consuming rage.

This rage was only fanned by the memory of what Barbara had been like when she had seen and heard of Naruto's state. She had been inconsolable, crying until she had no tears to spend and eventually falling asleep clutching his hand. He himself had stood to one side, unable to do anything to help ease his nieces, a girl that he viewed as not only his foster daughter, but truly his daughter and the boy he saw as a son suffering.

Pulling out his phone he dialled a number, waiting for the person on the other end to pick up. "Bullock." James said shortly. "I need you to run a background check on Naruto Uzumaki, Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki. I want to know everyone they had contact and dealings with. Use your underground contacts if need be, but I want to know everything." He didn't wait for confirmation or the questions that would surely be asked and hung up.

Sighing, James rubbed his eyes tiredly and moved towards his sleeping daughter who was fast asleep. Taking off his jacket, he wrapped it around Barbara's shoulders who, mumbled in her sleep.


	2. The Beginning

Monday 16th, February, 20:15.

New Jersey,

Gotham City,

East End.

The apartment complex that was home to one Naruto Uzumaki was quiet. It usually was at this time of night. Its less than model inhabitants having left to enjoy the nightlife of Gotham as soon as the sun began to set.

While most were poor and had to work over the weekends to even afford a night out. Not all of them were hard working citizens that just got dealt a hard hand in life. Sadly, those less savoury vices corrupted them, be it by drugs, alcohol, or any other form of addiction. Catching them all in a loop of destruction where any moment they could have made to better themselves just got funnelled back into those very same vices.

More often than not in the form of a warm body.

For who cared if it was a prostitute when all you want is a form of human connection? To feel someone care for you, to feel like it mattered. Truly the abyss was a frightening place, after all what is rock bottom when you could always further? In this bleak reality, what is hope and how do you find it?

Coming to a stop outside Naruto's door, Barbara leaned the semi-conscious young man against the wall, one of his arms over her shoulder for support as she struggled to open the door. Just as soon as she managed to get the key, she looked to one side to see a particularly obese man walking down the corridor with a prostitute on either arm. He was loud and boisterous as he talked about all the things, he would do to them and she struggled to keep the bile from rising up her throat at the mental image he painted.

He was very thorough in his descriptions, too much in fact. Almost as if he were trying to compensate for something lacking in his life, what that truly was, was unknown. But if you were to see his eyes, you could tell. Yet she hadn't seen it as such, already labelling him to a certain category.

She had heard similar things aimed at her and her alter ego, Batgirl from the various thugs, random guys on the streets and even at her school. It had always made her uncomfortable, but she had managed to build up a resistance to such things while closing herself off to any deeper meaning for why or how. After all, it just is as such, so why even try? While you couldn't say she was wrong, you also couldn't say she was right.

What use is compassion in a world full of those that would use you?

"Alfie!" Naruto groaned out loudly, making the obese man stop at the door and turn to face Naruto who had stood up a bit straighter. If Barbara didn't know any better, she would say that he hadn't just gotten released from hospital. But she did, she could see the way he was leaning against the wall slightly for support, his arm around her was tighter and his eyes would twitch as he withheld a grimace of pain at the slightest of movement.

"Naruto, you're out already?" He barked out with a laugh, his fat stomach jiggling as the two prostitutes looked on in disgust at the men they were being paid to sleep with.

As if they were inherently better than him.

For even if he may have been a pig masquerading as a man, he wasn't the one selling his body for a quick bunk. But such is the human condition. For no matter how shitty you are, at least you can look down on someone else. That was the difference between someone who truly cares about you and someone you pay to. While the prostitution might be warm during the act, like all plays it must end once the climax is reached.

Thus, leaving you emptier than when you began. Unlike someone that truly cares for you and won't just help to better you, but to not leave you when it's all said and done.

"Look at you, goddamn nothing seems able to keep you down for long."

"You know me, Alfie." Naruto shrugged his shoulders and turned his grimace into a short smirk so as to not show any discomfort. "Just try and keep your noise down a bit, I don't want to know what you're going to be using your dick for, it's an image I could do without."

Alfie smirked as his eyes roamed over Barbara's body clad in her school outfit as if just noticing her for the first time. "Oh, I see." His smirk turned lecherous as he looked at Naruto once more. "I'll leave you two kids to it then. Come on ladies, daddies got an itch that needs scratching." With that he continued down the corridor and straight past Naruto and Barbara.

As he was doing so, Barbara opened the door to Naruto's apartment and helped him inside, switching on the main light and leading him to the sofa. "I'm sorry about, Alfie. I've kinda gotten used to him so I forget just how bad he can be."

Barbara shakes her head. "It's alright, Naruto." She sat down and Naruto slowly joined her, his head resting in her lap as he sprawled out over the rest of the sofa. "I could care less about what he has to say, I could just do without the mental image."

"Yea." He snorts, eyes closed as he enjoys the feeling of Barbara's hands running through his hair and massaging his scalp. "Alfie's like that. He's got a very detailed imagination and likes to share it with everyone." A hard look comes over his face, his cerulean eyes opening to reveal them flashing a dangerous dark blue. "I didn't like the way he looked at you though."

"Neither do I." Barbara said, her left hand moving down to stroke his cheeks to help calm him down. The last thing he needed was to make his injuries worse by allowing his anger to get the best of him. "But I know that'd you save me should he try anything." She smiled down at him, trying to ease the tension in Naruto.

"Yea, you're right." Naruto replied. "If he, or anyone touched you in a way that you didn't want, I'd do more than just make them back off." He muttered darkly, his voice so quiet she almost struggled to hear, but she heard him anyway.

"I know you would." She whispered back and he looked at her in shock, as if surprised she heard him. When he realised that she had, his head looked away in shame at revealing his darker thoughts to her. "But I don't think we should be thinking about that anymore. How are you feeling?"

"I'm good. In a few more days I should be back to normal." A lie. They both knew it; his injuries may have healed, but he would be feeling twinges of pain for a couple more months and if he overworked them then there was a high chance he could go back to square one again.

"Okay, good." Barbara watched as Naruto's eyes closed, his breath evening out as sleep soon claimed him.

Her eyes then turned to look out the window. The incident a month ago that put Naruto in the hospital was a mystery to both her, her uncle and even Batman. All they knew was that it was linked to one of the many criminal gangs in Gotham and there were too many for answers to be found instantly. That didn't make it any easier for her, especially since Naruto was being very tight-lipped about what happened. Not even Jim, a man Naruto trusted and loved as if he was his own father could get the blonde to describe his attacker.

Every time the answer was always the same. He entered his apartment, was his hit in the back of the head and then beaten within an inch of his life. The next thing he knew he was waking up in the hospital.

Feeling her phone vibrating in her pocket she pulled it out to see that the caller ID was one, Dick Grayson. "Hey, Dick. What'd you need?" There was gibberish from the other end of the line. "Okay, does Bruce need me there?" She waited once more. "No, that's okay. Ring me if anything comes up that needs my help."

Turning off her phone, Barbara put it back in her pocket and slowly leaned back into the sofa. Thinking of her City, Gotham was like a black hole that pulls you in or maybe an abyss that changes you too. Whatever that might be, she wasn't sure. It was filled with crime that drips Green corruption, and corruption that's rocking and mocking our justice system. It all just feels frustrating, like the status quo is unshakable.

And while Naruto's darker thoughts might have been a point of concern, she would be lying if they didn't make her happy. Ignoring all signs in favour of blissful ignorance like most were content to do.

After all, wouldn't she do much worse to those that hurt him once she found out?

-X- Line Break -X-

Tuesday 17th, February, 11:15.

New Jersey,

Gotham City,

East End.

The next morning saw Naruto slowly opening his eyes, desperately trying to fall back asleep and resist the shining glare of the Sun's rays upon his face. However, like every morning, the sun could not be denied and with a groan – a mix of pain and tiredness – he rose into a sitting position, slowly rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

"Morning." Looking to the left, Naruto saw Barbara moving towards him with a smile on her face and a steaming cup of coffee held carefully in both hands. She was dressed in pair of orange shorts she had left behind a couple of weeks ago and one of his jumpers which was far too big for her.

These moments were the ones he loved most, the sight of her when he woke up. It was no secret to anyone that knew Naruto about his feelings for Barbara except, for the girl herself it seemed. But it was moments like these, where they acted like a mature, older couple that made him want a normal life. Though with his life how it was, he doubted that would ever happen now, maybe if things had been different but it was too late to tell now.

Black Mask had made it very clear last night that he 'owned' Naruto and by extension everything Naruto took as his own. Naruto would not put Barbara at risk or anyone so long as Black Mask was still around.

'Then I'll just have to get rid of him.' Shaking those thoughts from his head, he turned his full attention back to Barbara. "Morning." He greeted a smile of his own appearing on his face. Reaching forwards, he took the cup of coffee from her hands and lightly blew on it. "How long have you been up?"

Barbara made her way back to the countertop and picked up her own cup of coffee, her fifth already. "Since nine, I was going to wake you up because it's getting late." Naruto looked at the clock and saw that it displayed a time of, 11:30.

"Damn." He cursed; he hadn't realised he had been so tired.

"It's to be expected, Naruto." Barbara sat down beside him as Naruto put the News on as it described how Batman, Robin and Batgirl had taken down a large drug cartel in Gotham last night with large amounts of gunfire being heard a few miles from this apartment complex. "Realistically the doctors said you should have spent another week in the hospital just to be safe. You however, stubbornly refused and thus had to do a lot of walking, which won't help with your recovery."

Barbara quickly switched the channels not wanting Naruto to focus on that anymore. She hadn't been at her best last night and had been unnecessarily violent in her takedowns of criminals. The fact that it was so close to where Naruto lived left no words needed to be said on her approach to them. What's one more broken rib to a broken body. The longer they stay down, the longer they'll live, be it by her hands or not.

Something that both Batman and Robin had picked up on, the former deciding to force her to retire for the evening in order to cool off. Something Barbara had done so reluctantly and only because of how late in the morning it was becoming.

Naruto clicked his teeth in annoyance. "Yea, you're right." He said and saw the smug smile coming across Barbara's face. "You're lucky you're holding a cup of coffee in your hands right now because I'd attack you."

"Are you sure it's not just because you're a cripple?" She asked teasingly, making sure to take a loud sip of her coffee to add extra effect to her statement.

Naruto narrowed his eyes at her, but this only served to make Barbara's smile widen behind her cup. "Don't push it." Laughing, Barbara got to her feet and moved to collect her phone that was on charge as Naruto watched her do so, his mind playing over the events that had happened.

That night was a reminder to Naruto that no matter how strong he thought he had become; it was all because Black Mask allowed him to. Be it the legs he uses to walk the city of damnation, or the lungs that breathe in the putrid air that hangs thick. His overseer founds his limbs and organs lacking compared to the amusement found in letting Naruto squirm like the insignificant vermin he saw him as such.

A stark reminder that it was not bureaucracy, but Black Mask that had stopped Jim from taking custody of Naruto, the man had all but admitted it a year ago just to taunt Naruto.

Then, when Naruto had started to grow old enough, he took Naruto to the Underground Fighting Arena and watched him fight. He could still remember Black Mask praising him for surviving all the while he struggled to breathe after the beating, he had gotten.

Black Mask had been a constant at the beginning, always turning up to watch him fight and get beaten. It was his favourite thing to watch, like a comedy bit made just for him. And while terrified of Black Mask, the young Naruto had strived to prove him wrong, to deny the crime lord who abused him the one thing he took pleasure out of.

Eventually, after many months of getting beaten into the ground. After every broken bone, cracked skull, torn ligament. From blood that would no longer fall to tears that would no longer flow, whimpers that cease to sound from responses that never came. Hope and wishes died off from an innocence that could never be brought back. Forging a new being from the remains of a dead child.

Naruto started to do just that. He won his first fight, then his second and his third till eventually he was the reigning champion, unbeaten in other forty fights. Around the tenth Black Mask lost interest and left. Of course, not without leaving Naruto a parting gift for all the good times he brought. One that would make sure he forever remains his slave no matter how many times he fought and won.

Thus, Naruto was never free. Black Mask would always be there, plying him like a marionette, a shadow over his shoulder just waiting for the moment to remind Naruto as to who was in charge. A voice whispering, "until you break! Until you yield!" And not just in the monetary means. Yet, none had ever been that bad before. Most times it was just a simple sharing of words and thinly veiled threats to everyone Naruto cared for. Others it had been a quick beating, something Naruto could pass off as a simple rough match.

Yes, last night could not be classified as that. The doctors had claimed that it was a miracle he survived, obviously Black Mask's goons had gone a 'little' overboard.

'I refuse to let that continue anymore.' Naruto thought, his hand clenching into fists as he watched Barbara scroll through her phone, humming a small tune. 'I refuse to let Black Mask control my life anymore.' His life would be his own and Barbara would no longer be a tool for Black Mask to keep him in line. 'I'll protect you, I'll protect Jim. Even if that means leaving you and becoming something else, someone else!'

Batman.

Robin.

Batgirl.

They weren't heroes.

Heroes were meant to protect people no matter what. They were meant to ensure that guys like Black Mask couldn't force people to do their bidding. Heroes were meant to make sure that people like Black Mask were dealt with.

And they hadn't.

They were put in jail for a couple of months and they were back out, free to do what they wanted again. How could one claim to be a hero when they only put people in jail, all that did was give them a chance to recover and grow stronger. It didn't stop anything or anyone, all it did was enable crime to grow stronger.

Well not anymore. Black Mask, Maroni, Falcone. All of them. Every criminal in Gotham City would no longer be given a beating and a slap on the wrist like Batman and the rest of the so called 'heroes' gave them. It was a kill or be killed world and to kill someone, you must first be prepared to be killed in return.

Naruto had already faced death; it was time the criminals of Gotham City did the same. And he would be the one to give it to them.

He will become their judge, jury and executioner. Fuck the system and the law, he didn't care anymore. If they wouldn't play by the rules, if they could bend them to fit their needs.

He wouldn't either.

They were the pests and he'll be their exterminator!

But deep down, he knew his logic was flawed. His ideals of heroes might not be right, nor did it all fall on them, but he didn't care. The world needed a meaningful change and he will bring it even if his death comes as well. And if it did, he'd face it without regrets.

-X- Line Break -X-

Thursday 26th, February, 23:00.

New Jersey,

Gotham City,

East End.

Barbara Gordon hummed a tune to herself quietly as she sat upon the couch just adding the finishing touches to her assignment due in tomorrow. The only sound besides her humming was the sound of the TV playing in the background and the sound of the shower coming from the bathroom.

The week had been relatively simple, almost normal as she and Naruto fell back into the routine of things. Naruto for all intents and purposes had become his usual self, sure he still had moments where some of his injuries flared with pain, but they were far and few between. It was a great relief to Barbara, who for the first time had truly been terrified of losing her best friend. Not even any of his older injuries had been this bad, for the first time she had faced the fact that her best friend might die and her heart clenched painfully at the thought.

"In other news, reports have come in from all over the city at the rise of a new vigilante that the people of Gotham are calling, Black Hood." The news reporter, a elderly woman wearing a business outfit informed the populace of Gotham. Beside her, on the screen, a blurred image of what appeared to be the figure of a man wearing all black clothing with a hood pulled obscuring his face from the camera completely. "He was reported to be seen fighting numerous gangsters belonging to the criminal known as Black Mask. This has been the third sighting of him and the police encourage the people of Gotham to come forth with any knowledge they might have on this vigilante."

"What're they on about?" Barbara turned around to see Naruto leaning against the doorframe in a white muscle shirt and shorts as he looked at the screen in confusion.

He had actually not really been focused upon the TV nor anything really, but Barbara. The blonde had always known that he had feelings for the girl and just seeing her here, in his room, so relaxed and unbothered by the day's events had really driven home how much he cared for her.

How much he wanted to keep her safe.

Yet he knew, that keeping her safe would be much harder than simply hiding her from the world. Gotham wasn't a place for someone as good as her, the city was a place where innocence went to die. The fact that Barbara and people his age were still innocent was a point in Batman and his Bat families' favour. But criminals needed to be shown that their actions had consequences and Naruto knew that they would never cross that line.

'Sometimes, the world doesn't need another hero.' He thought back to something the elderly man, Hiruzen who used to live next door to him before passing away. He was kind and had practically helped Naruto live and had also taught him various martial arts. 'What it needs, is a monster.' He smiled ruefully, becoming a monster to keep the criminals in line isn't exactly something he had planned to be doing, but if no one else was going to do it, then he would, for Barbara. Or at least that's what he told himself.

Always for Barbara, but never with her.

"Nothing much, just a new vigilante." Barbara shook her head with a frown as Naruto moved to sit down next to her. "He's been called Black Hood."

"You don't approve?" Naruto questioned with a frown, though it was more of a statement. He knew Barbara, he knew how she thought and knew how to tell what she was thinking by just the faces she pulled and it was obvious to him, that Barbara did not approve of this new vigilante.

Barbara shook her head. "He's a murder. He killed them and didn't even give them a chance to face justice." Naruto clicked his teeth in annoyance as Barbara looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "What?"

"I think this Black Hood guy is doing us all a favour." Barbara looked at him in shock, she had known that he had his moments where he got a little dark, but to accept murder like that was just shocking. "They're criminals, how many people have they killed, robbed, raped?"

Barbara flinched at the last one, as a woman herself she couldn't say what was worse, death or rape? While she hadn't had to deal, much with death yet, her experience was mostly limited to hers and Naruto's parents. Rape on the other hand, she had stopped numerous women from being raped and sometimes turning up too late as Batgirl. Each and every time she had to console those crying women and had even received reports that they had killed themselves out of shame and fear that it might happen again.

It all cuts deep, even now it still hurts. But does it all make it equal? Just because someone did you wrong, doesn't mean you must get back at them no matter the cost. Where is the line? Does might make right? Are you willing to fall into damnation for those that wouldn't even pay you another glance?

She isn't sure what the answer is, but she is sure that murders aren't it. Where's the peace of mind in knowing that those that did wrong got the easy way out, they aren't the ones forced to live with the consequences of their actions.

"That still doesn't make it right." Barbara argued and Naruto barked out a laugh.

"Not right." Naruto shook his head in annoyance. "How the hell is it not right, Barbara? They're criminals. The moment they started to kill and hurt other people they lost their rights. And before you talk about their millions of excuses for why and how. Let it be known I don't give a shit about why they did what they did. For in doing so they lose their privilege to live. Every day they walk is another someone else isn't. Those heroes, those protectors be it Batman, Robin, Batgirl, the police. They're too soft. All they're doing is making criminals smarter and more dangerous."

Barbara narrowed her eyes, angry at Naruto who had unknowingly insulted her actions as Batgirl. But Naruto wasn't done.

"Yesterday a few hundred might have been put away, but many more thousands have been set free to do as they like. And those that stay don't change for the better instead they learn and train while locked up. Using prison as a type of training camp, filled with the best teachers and connections they can find. How will it get better if they live?"

"Excuse me. I don't see you doing anything. You talk shit about people like Batman and Batgirl who actually risk their lives, giving their all to improve the world. Asking for nothing in return, risking not just their life but anyone who might know them. Having to suit up every night knowing it might be their last, the last time they see the people they love, the last time their loved ones will ever be able to stop them never knowing that if they hadn't acted, they could still be alive, if they hadn't chosen to let them go. And what do you do?!"

Naruto's eyes narrowed.

"You sit at home talking shit about others that want to help yet go out and fight in illegal fighting rings. Fighting for what money? Adrenaline? To live out a sick fantasy thinking this is all a game. And when you do nearly get killed, you don't say shit nothing at all! How do you expect people to help you?"

"How?! By fucking doing something about the criminals in this shithole city!" He shouted and Barbara did not shy away from the Naruto who had gotten to his feet, she too was doing the same.

"We have laws, rules for a reason." She argued back, keeping her voice quiet, but nonetheless was heard. "If you kill a killer, the number of killers in the world remains the same. In seeking that you'll only find the abyss. You'll try not to not stare but you can't, you'll be enthralled. And in that darkness, you'll find the abyss staring back at you. Yet you can't look away, you can no longer get away from the choices you made. You can't just look away from all that or you become just as bad as the criminals you hunt." She recited the words told to her by Batman when she first started training to become Batgirl.

"Ha! That's complete bullshit."

Naruto laughed.

"You said If you kill a killer, the number of killers in the world remains the same right? Ok simple he'll just have to do a lot more. If one won't make a change, it'll be ten if ten doesn't a hundred more will. Be it a thousand or millions more the number will do down. If he does fall into temptation, he'll just find a bullet with his name on it too. You wanna know the difference between a guy like Black Hood and the criminals is that kill. It's that he kills to make sure that the criminals understand that there is no getting off with a slap on the wrist. It's a message that tells them if they kill then they better be prepared to be killed in turn."

"Oh really, and that makes it okay does it? He can kill whoever he deems as being a "criminal" fuck the law right, and everyone who lives by it right?"

"Damn right it does! If the law is worthless why keep it, and what do you mean live by it. People are dying under it now, it's as simple as this, they are bad so they get put down like the rabid dog they are."

Barbara was having none of it and stepped closer to Naruto, who only looked down at her, both their eyes narrowed in anger and annoyance at the others stubbornness never mind each other's hypocrisy. This is the problem with being too fixated in your ideals. You aren't able to see someone else's point of view. And anyone who won't agree you'll beat it out of them. Truly pride comes before the fall, all it takes is one step back to see someone one else's point of view but who is willing to do that?

"And what makes a murderer like Black Hood different to Batman, or Batgirl?" She asked, wanting to know what Naruto actually thought about her alter ego. She had always known that Naruto had problems with her alter ego and her partners, but he had never actually said so, always changing the subject or being interrupted.

"I think that underneath all their strength and skill, they're actually cowards." He answered and it took everything Barbara had to not let the hurt and sadness show on her face, especially considering Naruto's situation is one of the main reasons she goes out to fight crime. To have that person say that she is a coward is more hurtful than any injury she has suffered before.

"Cowards?" Barbara whispered, finally looking away from Naruto to the ground.

"Yes." Naruto replied, his own voice quieter having noticed Barbara's current change in attitude. "I remember what the old man, Hiruzen once told me, 'If not me then who, sometimes the world doesn't need another hero. Sometimes what it needs is a monster.' A monster to keep the rest in line, to show them that their actions have consequences and Black Hood is exactly that."

Barbara nodded her head numbly as if nothing made sense anymore. "I see." She then turned and moved to begin packing up her stuff.

"Barbara?" Naruto called, still confused on how everything had gone so south so fast. After all, it was just words, right?

"I'm going, Naruto." Barbara replied shortly. "When you actually wake up and start being the Naruto I know, let me know. I just; I can't deal with you when you're like this." She took a deep breath and stood at the door to Naruto's apartment. "I don't know what happened that night, but you haven't been the same since."

"Barbara, wait." Naruto moved forwards, but she stopped him with a raised hand.

"No!" She took another breath. "No, I think we both need time to ourselves to figure out what is going on because I don't know you right now. Please, just give me a little time to understands, just give me some time."

Naruto flinched slightly, having heard the heartbreak in her voice, but also because of the words she said.

"I-I." Barbara said nothing more as she opened the door as Naruto stumbled over his word. Then the door shut behind her and she walked down the corridor, having just heard Naruto curse, "fuck!"

And as she walked, she wiped her eyes, feeling tears gather there."Idiot." She muttered. Not sure if she meant it for him or her. Perhaps both, two people too passionate not afraid to say what they think. Leading to disagreements from passionate conversation too heated to cool off from. Both stubborn and unwilling to agree with the other yet in pain when the other is gone. Wishing it could all go back to the old days, back when it all made sense. Back to the old them before it's all gone. Would it all be too late tomorrow to start a new beginning?

-X- Line Break -X-

Tuesday 17th, March, 22:10.

New Jersey,

Gotham City,

The Bowery.

Taking a deep breath, Naruto did a quick check of his current equipment. His outfit consisted of black cargo pants, boots and a hoodie, with a stolen bulletproof vest underneath. All things were in place, with a Bowie knife attached to each of his thighs and a pistol holstered to his left hip.

Tonight, was the night he had been planning for a while.

Ever since his argument with Barbara about his alter ego, Black Hood and the mortality of his new job, things had been quiet between the two. He had all but stopped going to school and focused most of his time on training in nearby gyms, making sure not to draw too much attention. And he had to say he was already receiving results having already put on a few pounds and grown two inches in the span of a month.

This meant that he and Barbara barely had anytime to break down the wall that had started to form between the two of them. But Naruto knew that it would take more than just a simple apology to heal some of the open wounds in their friendship. After all, how do you take back what you said when you still mean it, who goes first when you both feel right and the other is wrong.

Yet Naruto didn't have the time and while he would never admit it, he was a little scared that maybe Barbara didn't want him anymore. She had really stuck to her word and had not made any attempts to reach out to him and had left it to him to come to her when he had 'sorted himself out.' But the thing was, Naruto didn't know where to begin, didn't know how he could convince Barbara that this is who he is, who he always was. Already too clouded in his tunnel vision to see another way, after all the first step took so long already, why would he turn back now?

She had made it clear that she didn't like who he was becoming and he was terrified that maybe, when she realised that this was the way he always, that she would leave.

'Perhaps that's for the best.' A part of him whispered. 'That way she will never get hurt, never become a target that our enemies will use to hurt us.' And that was also what scared him, the thought of his enemies – which there would be many if he continued down this path – getting to Barbara to get to him.

But it all boiled down to two simple things.

Did he love Barbara enough to let her go and seek a life with someone else – the thought alone made his heart clench – safe and sound without the threat of a supervillain hurting her. Or was he going to be selfish and seek a life with her, knowing that supervillains are out there and could strike at any moment.

He would have liked to say the answer was much easier to answer than he had thought, but it also wasn't. As much as it would pain him to see Barbara with another person, as long as she was happy and safe, he would accept it. Her happiness and safety were all that mattered because he would protect those he cared about with a fierce ruthlessness.

"Man, this is so boring."

Breaking out of his dark thoughts, Naruto took a peek around the corner and saw two guards sitting outside a small warehouse. They weren't very well-dressed, their outfits mired in sweat and grime as they nursed a beer in one hand and the one on the left also nursing his holstered gun.

"Don't understand why the boss is getting so spooked by this new vigilante. We already have to deal with the flying Rats and now this bitch shows up, anyhow ain't as if the little shit is as batty as the batshit Bat. Ha, see what I did there?"

The man beside him sighed in annoyance. "Yes, I did. Now shut up, you're pissing me off."

"Bah, fuck your too." Naruto smirked, that one was obviously drunk and while his partner seemed more alert, there was no doubting his slightly glazed eyes that were clearly seen with the light shining on them from the light above them.

This just made his job much easier. He honestly expected Black Mask to have more…professional guards in place. However, from what he was seeing these guys were new, obviously the few small-time criminals who were willing to work for Black Mask despite Black Hood hunting those working for said crime lord with a single-minded determination that had left the rest of Gotham's criminal entity silent as they watched on in amusement. Already making plans on how they can best benefit.

He knew this for a fact simply because they lacked the tailored suits and masks worn by the higher-ups of Black Mask's False Face Society.

Pulling down his now seemingly iconic hood, Naruto walked towards the two thugs, a bag slung over his shoulder. "Hey kid, you ain't meant to be here." The more sober of the two said, both of them rising to the feet with the drunkard stumbling slightly.

"I've got my payment." Naruto said calmly, shaking his bag slightly before chucking it at the drunk man who fell on his ass with the bag on his lap. "Tell Black Mask, that Naruto Uzumaki has paid his share."

"Alright, we will do so." The second guy replied, his hand slowly moving away from the gun on his side. "Now get out of here kid, you ain't meant to be here."

"Yea, yea I know." Naruto replied as he watched the drunkard open the bag to see it empty.

"Hey!" The drunkard yelled as his partner looked to see what the problem was. "This is empty shithead." They looked to Naruto to see him holding a gun towards them with a silencer attached to the end.

Two bullets exited the barrels quicker than they could react and hit them both in the chest where they dropped to the ground, dead. "Really, what a surprise." He mocked, moving forwards and picking up the body of the taller of the two and moving towards the door. From what he had learnt of this warehouse it was the armoury of Black Mask's operation

Lots of guns, ammunition and even explosives. That he'll gracefully, like the kind soul he is repurpose for far more nobles' goals involving extermination.

Perfect for him to expand his horizons in attacking Black Mask's operational structure. He had learnt a lot about Black Mask since he was a kid and one of those things was that he was very methodical in the way he ran his criminal empire. The thugs that worked for him had rotational shifts, one week a group of thugs would be on the streets dealing in either drugs, prostitutes, guns or collecting tax. The next, that same group would be working in one of the bases.

Each thug was assigned to only one base and that way, should they be arrested then they couldn't give away the inner workings about Black Mask's operations. Smart, simple and effective.

Yet it also had one significant downside.

Naruto in his tenure as Black Hood had been killing Black Mask's thugs in the street and therefore, reducing the number of people defending hideouts of the crime lord's empire. Now normally this wouldn't be a problem, but the minor criminals that Black Mask could have hired to fill in the gaps, knew that Black Hood – was a hero that now killed, a terrifying thought to them all – but most of all had beef with Black Mask. Therefore, no one wanted to work for him, not even the desperate.

Except for a few of course. For when the pay is good, who cares what risk it may bring.

Then there was the fact that Naruto knew that Black Mask was a very prideful individual and would never, not even if it meant saving his life, go begging to any of the other crime families for help.

This worked in Naruto's favour as it meant that this armoury, once defended by twenty men each week, now had a defensive force less than ten. Two of which were already dead at his feet, well one was, the other was held in his grasp.

He may not be a person known or praised for his patience, but Naruto was a very determined individual. Taking out Black Mask was not going to be an instant thing; it would take time and careful planning. Plus, his pranking history was certainly coming in handy for planning this whole thing.

The past few weeks had been filled with Naruto taking out Black Mask's thugs and weakening his manpower. Then the next stage of his plan was to take out the armoury, leaving Black Mask and his goons extremely short supplied on firepower, while increasing his own. After that, it was a matter of waiting for Black Mask to make the next move and if Naruto knew him as well as he thought he did, then that would involve running to a more secure location.

Pressing a buzzer on the door, Naruto leaned the body against the door just enough to make it seem like the guard was closing his eyes while waiting. Meanwhile, he moved the dead body of the drunkard to the base of the door. Thankfully, he managed to get that done just in time and moved to hide on the opposite side of the door before a hatch opened on the door and another thug peeked through.

"What you want, Jonny? Your shift ain't done yet." The man asked, but there was silence. Obviously cautious because of this, he looked around and Naruto pressed himself further against the wall so as to not be seen. "Jonny, what the fuck is going on?" It was then that, Naruto kicked the thug's legs and the dead body fell to the ground. "What the fuck?!"

There was a buzzing sound and the door opened. A cry of shock escaped the thugs' mouth as he tripped over the body of the second guard, and cursed as he spotted Naruto. Yet that was all he could do as Naruto fired off another round into the man's head.

Not saying anything, Naruto pushed the body of one of the thugs into the closing door, keeping it from locking and moved to loot through the two bodies. After he had done, he tucked the two new guns into his pants and moved into the warehouse.

It was quiet, for most of the journey, obviously the lack of manpower, meant that patrolling the armoury was much more difficult with far more holes in their defence. Well, that was his thoughts until he heard the sound of jeering and shouting.

Pulling up to a stop of an open doorway, he took a peek around the corner and saw five men sitting around a poker table, with a sixth seat empty. '7 rounds left in my Glock, with two clips remaining. Another Glock, no silencer and one clip. A Smith and Wesson M&P, ten round clip and no silencer.' He recounted mentally before taking another peek. 'Okay, only two are carrying guns, rest are just knives. I think.'

"Hey!" Naruto froze and looked at the man standing across from him, his hands clenched by his side. Reacting quickly, Naruto turned his silenced Glock on the man and fired a headshot before performing a flawless, diving roll into the now silenced room, just as the wall he was stood behind was riddled with bullet holes.

"Shit! It's the fucking Hooded freak!" One man shouted, just as Naruto got to his feet and fired two bullets, one to the chest and then to the head of the closest thug.

"Kill the little shit!"

Naruto took a moment to take stock of the situation. He had killed the closest guy, holding a knife. One more was charging towards him, also holding a knife. The remaining three were standing behind the table, two holding their pistols and one having an AK-47 that must have been hidden from his sight.

Reacting quickly, Naruto did not fire his gun and instead counter-charged the thug holding a knife and body slammed into him. This was done just as gunfire erupted once more, however Naruto was now hidden behind the body of one of enemies.

Blood splashed into the air as the three firing goons tried to break through Naruto's human shield and kill him. However, those bullets that did manage to get through were so slow that they harmlessly collided with bulletproof armour and didn't even stall him as Naruto continued his charge, using the dead body as a shield.

With a grunt he pushed the much lighter body over the top and into the three guns who had to put a hold on their firing as to avoid the body of their dead comrade. One however, was not so lucky and was sent to the ground as the body collided with his face.

This allowed Naruto to train his gun on one goon and fire two bullets into him. Just as he went to turn his gun on the second, the thug that had fallen on the floor kicked the table into Naruto. This didn't hurt, however thanks to that he was distracted enough that his aim went off track, the bullet colliding harmless into the wall.

Stepping back, Naruto ejected the clip and went to pull out a second clip when he had to duck behind the table as the thug holding the AK-47 managed to start firing once more.

Thankfully, he didn't have to wait long as the man had to stop to reload.

With one hand braced on the top of the table, Naruto jumped over the table while simultaneously lashing out with a kick that knocked the AK to one side. Landing on the ground he spun round and sent a spinning, back kick into the stomach of the thug who kicked the table and had just gotten to his feet, who collided against the wall before he could start firing his pistol.

"Ahhh!" The man that had held the AK charged forward in a mad frenzy, but Naruto parried the punch to one side and slammed a chop to the man's neck. Meanwhile, his other hand moved down and smoothly pulled out one of his Bowie knives and drove it up straight into the man's head through his jaw.

Pulling the blade free and wiping the blood off on his sleeve, Naruto turned to look at the only remaining thug who had dropped to his knees in surrender. "Please man, I surrender." The man dropped his gun and pushed it towards Naruto's feet, who looked at it and then the man. "I'm done, I swear. I won't kill anyone, hell I'll turn myself in. Just please, don't kill me."

Naruto stood silently, allowing the man to continue begging for his life pathetically. "Okay." The man sighed with relief, almost collapsing to the ground with relief.

"Thank you." The man shook, the adrenaline leaving his body weak. "Thank you."

"But you will go to Black Mask and tell him what happened here." The man froze in shock and fear. "Tell him that Black Hood was someone who he created and that I'm coming for him next." There was no movement from the thug as he stared up at Naruto in shock and fear. "Go on."

"Please! He'll kill me, let me do anything but that!" That man cried out in fear, knowing that even going to Black Mask to report failure would mean his death.

"If you don't go." Naruto pulled out a gun and pointed it at the man. "Then I'll kill you now. Your choice, but think quick, my trigger finger is getting itchy."

Tears streamed down the man's face as he shakily got to his feet and moved to leave.

"Oh, if you think of trying to hide and not doing as I ask." Naruto, fully embracing his Black Hood persona calmly broke the silence, the lighting of the room ensuring that not even a single feature could be seen. "Then I will find you and finish off what I started."

Nodding his head, the man rushed out the armoury and Naruto watched him go with a calm expression. It was a baseless threat, there was nothing stopping the man from running away because it would make the man extremely unlucky run into Black Hood again. But it didn't matter, while Naruto hated killing and threatening people, Black Hood did not, it required him to be a force of nature, a monster that would kill without hesitation.

'Man.' Naruto thought as he looked up at the ceiling in thought. 'This doesn't get any easier.' Not even now, after having done this for just shy of a month. Killing was something that while on the outside, came easy to him. On the inside it filled him with sadness and self-loathing at what his life had become. He would keep repeating, 'This is who I am, I'm doing this to protect Barbara, to protect Jim.'

Frightened he would wake up someday to a bitter reality this is the new him. Thinking back all those words said to Barbara were that just words. It's easy enough to say you'll kill millions, but really doing so is harrowing...he wonders when it'll become easy and if that would be a good thing.

Clenching his fist, Naruto moved to the front and took the bag he had left there and moved towards the various crates scattered in each room. Making sure to fill it to the brim. It. was heavy, extremely so.

But the choices he had made, the consequences of his actions were heavier and he would continue to bare them alone.

-X- Line Break -X-

Friday 20th, March, 13:25.

New Jersey,

Gotham City,

Unknown Location.

Black Mask, formerly known as Roman Sionis. He came from a rich family, with his parents never really caring for him and focusing on expanding their wealth and fortune. After his parents had died, he had taken over as head of his families' company only to drive it into bankruptcy, quite quickly.

He had been driven to actually hide his face behind a wooden mask carved from his father's coffin, only for it to be burned onto his skin in his first fight against Batman.

His appearance coupled with his keen intellect had allowed Black Mask to carve out quite a large criminal empire for himself, nowhere near as big as his rivals, the Carmine and Falcone families. But still, very large and successful.

With running a criminal empire came many obstacles and downfalls that would have driven many men to extreme anger and madness. Roman Sionis on the other hand, was not a normal man. He saw these pitfalls and obstacles as simple annoyances that he would eventually overcome.

However, recently things have changed and become a bit more annoying.

His criminal empire was crumbling around him, like taking bricks out of a wall. At first, this vigilante, the Black Hood had simply focused on killing his henchmen and that was fine. They were replaceable and were nothing more than an inconvenience. Hardly anything to worry about.

That had changed after the attack on his armoury, a week ago.

Black Mask had been too focused on Batman and the other crime families encroaching on his territory to see how badly things had become. People no longer wanted to work for him simply because of Black Hoods willingness to kill and now, every time one of his men was killed it was like taking bricks out of a crumbling wall. Each time one was removed huge sections of it crumbled to the ground in a heap.

Now, he realised his mistake. Black Hood had been smart, very smart in what he had done and that made Black Mask angry. First building up a reputation that would stop people from accepting Romans job offers, then going for the vital areas of Black Masks empire once his manpower had been significantly drained.

And now what was he left with. A couple of millions of dollars, two safe houses and twenty men left. But he had a plan.

Black Mask always had a plan and it required one simple thing.

Bait.

Black Mask chuckled sinisterly, his shoulder shaking. Today, he would rid himself of this annoying pest once and for all. Now just a matter of setting it all up.

-X- Line Break -X-

Friday 20th, March, 19:45.

New Jersey,

Gotham City,

Gotham Heights.

Naruto sat back calmly looking out of the alleyway and onto the busy roads of Gotham Heights. Well, busy was a relative term. It was not quite rush hour, but there were definitely plenty of cars on the road.

He was dressed in his Black Hood gear and in front of him, was a motorcycle helmet painted black in colour – might as well go all into his persona as Black Hood – resting on top of his Yamaha YZF-R3. A 'gift' kindly given to by Black Hood as a welcome gift.

"Right, when leaving the base, move to Safe House Two, keep eyes peeled and inform us if you catch sight of Black Hood or the Bat." A man ordered over the radio. It was something he confiscated off one of Black Masks bases and was still wired into their radio frequency. It was a shock to him that this had happened, but something he was going to use to his advantage.

"Sloppy." Naruto shook his head in amusement as he attached his Heckler and Koch MP5K to his back before leaning down and reviving his bike engine.

Today was the day Black Mask would die. It was just his luck that Black Mask was running to a new, more defensible location and therefore needing to leave his safe house. It would be difficult and extremely problematic if Black Mask did escape to his safe house, but not impossible.

Catching him on the open road was just much easier and simpler.

He waited another five minutes before three identical black SUVs blurred past the alleyway, he was stationed in. With a grin, Naruto revved his engine, flicked on his light before racing off, temporarily doing a wheelie.

He zoomed on to the street, skidding slightly before moving down the road quickly weaving in and out lanes. Despite this though, his eyes trained on the three SUVs moving down the roads like a convoy. Reaching round, he grabbed hold of submachine gun and opened fire on the back convoy. A few hit the glass, but did not shatter it letting him know that it was bulletproof, but most were aimed towards the wheels.

His aim was true and with a pop the back wheels burst and the car drove off course and collided into a street lamp. Thus, taking it out of commission.

But at this point, the men had realised something was wrong and their speed increased.

Not sparing it even a glance he increased his speed in response and pulled up alongside the side of the middle car, no doubt holding Black Mask. He went to aim at the front car, but quickly swung his gun round and fired into the passenger seat as the window rolled down enough to let the passenger open fire on him. Naruto was quicker on the draw and fired riddling the man with bullets and he must have hit the driver as the car swerved off course and smashed into a shop.

Seeing this and hearing the screams of fright from the people, Naruto once again fired upon the front car and took out its tires, before spinning round and driving towards the car holding Black Mask. After all, he wouldn't want someone interfering.

As soon as he pulled up, he jumped off his bike and rushed into the shop as people rushed away from the scene. "Come on out, Black Mask!" Naruto called out, his feet crunching upon broken glass and debris. His gun trained upon the door as his eyes flickered around the room looking for any sign of a surprise attack. "It's over."

The door opened and Naruto riddled the man with bullets before he could even aim his gun or surrender.

"There's nowhere to run." Naruto continued. "So just save us both the trouble and come out and I'll make your death quick." He moved forwards and looked inside to see that Black Mask was slumped against his chair, blood pooling into his lap and onto the floor from a wound to his neck. "Tch." He didn't know how, but obviously one of his bullets must have hit the crime lord without him realising.

He froze when he heard the sound of cars coming to a stop and numerous guns clicking and no doubt aimed at him. "I must say." Naruto growled in anger as he heard the voice of Black Mask sound from behind the barricade of cars and goons. "You don't look as intimidating as my men make you out to be. Nor as smart. You fell for my trap quite easily."

It took everything Naruto had to not scream and rage at his arrogance. Of course, Black Mask wouldn't be as stupid or careless as to leave his communications on an open channel that could be listened to by anyone who knew how to change a radio frequency.

Raising to his full height, Naruto turned to face Black Mask and what must be fifteen guns aimed right at him. All assault rifles and each man wearing a mask of some sort to hide their faces.

"Well fuck." He cursed silently.

**Author's Note:**

> So, hopefully you enjoyed this chapter and the beginning of this story. It takes a look at a Naruto born and raised in Gotham and how this not only affects his character but how he effects the wider DC universe. This will be split into a number of different books so this first one will look at his development as a character from a simple kid to how he deals with the true reality of the world heroes and villains. Don’t expect an instant OP Naruto because this isn’t that kind of story.


End file.
